SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 29, 12 August 1871, Page 10

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

arrived August. 5, Falcon, ketch,’37 tons, Mormon, from Blenheim. Passengers—Miss Cleary, Miss Avery, Messrs Kirker, Stringer, Goodison, M'Carthy. „ , 6, Wellington, s.s., 261 tons, Kennedy, from Picton, Nelson, Taranaki, and Manukau. Passengers Messrs Hood, Monro, Smith, Tain, Blackett, Marks, Lowe, Nancarrow, captain Carey, Mrs Hood, Mrs Blackett; and seven in the steerage. 6, Nebraska, p.s., 2144 tons, Harding, from Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. 6, Rangatira, s.s., 164 tons, Renner, from Lyttelton and Otago. Passengers—Mr and Mrs Cooper, Mrs Jenkyns, Misses Jenkyns (2), Miss Wilson, Mrs Paterson, Mr Smith, and two in the steerage. 8, Wanganui, s.s., 164 tons, Linklater, from Wanganui. . ■ 8, Wanganui, s.s., 164 tons, Linklater, from Wanganui. Passengers Saloon : Messrs Jordan, Axup, Beauchamp, Towers, M‘Kirdy, De Beer; steerage : Miss Duck, Mr Parsonage, Mr Furnie. 8, Alhambra, s.s., 497 tons, Underwood, from Melbourne via Southern ports. Passengers—Cabin : Mr and Mrs Holt, child, and servant; Messrs Bacon, Williams, Crombie, Hamilton. Steerage : Messrs Bell, Ford, and Rudd. 9, Lord Ashley, s.s., 296 tons, Andrews, from Napier and Auckland. Passengers— Mrs Croft and two children, Miss Bishop, Miss Haultain, Messrs Drake, Mitchell, Hammeriek, Allen, Lyttlewood, Gordon, VTight, ■ Mrs Wright and five children. SAILED. 5, Taranaki, s.s., 299 tons, Wheeler, for Picton, Nelson, Taranaki, and Munakau. Passengers—Mrs Campbell, Capta n Hutton, Messrs J. G. Allan, Travers, Eyes, Coote, Batchelor, Bromley, Holly, Buckley, Bent, La Feuillade, Serrall, F. Green, Russell, Frazer, Palmer, Sutherland, Cass, and two native women ; four in the steerage. 5, Crest of the Wave, schooner, 58 tons, Bell, for Picton. 6, Nebraska, 2144 tons, Harding, ior Napier and Auckland. 7, Wellington, s.s., 261 tons, Kennedy, for Lyttelton and Otago. Passengers—Mrs Hood and family, G. Jones, five Maori priso ners in charge of an escort. 8, Alhambra, s.s., 497 tons, Underwood, for ’Melbourne via Nelson and West Coast. Passengers —Messrs A. Beauchamp, Lowes, and Barzin. 9, Rangatira, s.s,, 175 tons, Kenner, tor Napier. Passengers Messrs Lowe, Axup, Laman, Miss Gully, Miss Carter. 9, Wanganui, s.s., 165 tons, Linklater, for Wanganui. Passengers Mrs and Miss Jenkyn, Mr and Mrs Holt, child, and servant, Mr Bett s, Mr George. 9. Glimpse, ketch, 38 tons, Croucher, for East Coast. 10, Lord Ashley, s.s., 296 tons, Andrews, for Lyttelton and. Otago. Passengers— Messrs Nicholson and S. Yates. 10, Huon Belle, ketch, 42 tons, J. Saunders, for Havelock. 10, Lady Bird, three-masted schooner, 303 tons, Holm, for Newcastle, N.8.W., in ballast, 10, Ruby, schooner, 24 tons, Frazer, for Kaikoura via Palliser Bay.

The ship Edinburgh Castle is loading rapidly. She has now on board 400 bales wool, 350 bales flax, 420 tons tallow, 304,0ns butter, and other produce. It is expected that she will be a full ship about the 25th instant, and will sail at the end of the month for London direct. The death of Captain Taylor has again drawn attention to a subject in connection with merchant vessels, about which a great amount of discussion has taken place, but little action of a practical nature has ever been attempted. All seamen agree that the stowing of the jib is about the most dangerous part ol a seaman’s duties, and it is not too much to say that if the Lady Denison had been provided with nettings we might have been saved the melancholy duty of chronicling the loss of life on that occasion. The accident that occurred on board the ship Turkish Empire, while on her passage from London to Melbourne, by which three seamen were drowned, suggests the question why merchant vessels do not adopt the precaution in H. M. Navy, namely, having nettings affixed to the jibboom guys ? It is generally allowed that taking in a jib is the most hazardous sail on board ship to furl, and times out of number have seamen been lost from the boom while carrying out the order, but in only isolated instances is the above precaution taken. It is thought by many to be unsightly and cumbersome, but there is at present a crack trader in Sydney—the Rifleman —provided with nettings, and her head gear is the reverse of unsightly ; but where valuable lives are at stake appearances ought to give way. The Nebraska arrived in harbor on Sunday morning about -eight o’clock, making the passage from Lyttelton in about eighteen hours. She took her departure again at 6 o’clock in the evening, for Napier, Auckland, and Honolulu. During her short stay here she took on board 250 tons coals. At 6 p.m., a gun was fired as an intimation to passengers to get on board; and, at 7.30 p.m., another gun was fired as she was leading the harbor. Just as she was getting underweigh, an accident occurred, which might have ended fatally. The inner pilot was on board the steamer, and his b o at, with the crew, was towing astern; when a splash was heard in the water. The pilot’s crew pulled up to Bee what it was, and found it to be a man who bad fallen overboard from the Nebraska. His head was under water at the time, and he was quite helpless. With some difficulty they succeeded in getting him into the boat, and from thence on board

the vessel. He proved to be one of the ship’s stewards, who, in the darkness and bustle consequent upon getting underweigh, had fallen overboard unobserved. Had not the pilot’s boat fortunately been towing astern of the Nebraska, the man would have been drowned, and she would have gone away without anybody on board being aware of the accident. As we published no description of this ship on her first visit to this port, we append the following particulars :—The Nebraska was originally built for the Aspinwall line, by Hy. Steers, of New York, after which she was bought by Mr Webb, who replanked and double-strapped her throughout. She is commanded by Captain J. Harding, of the Pacific Mail and Webb Lines. The Nebraska is 270 feet long, has a breadth of forty feet, and twenty-six feet depth. She is schooner rigged, and is classed A 1 (Asterisk) at Lloyd’s, being an extra mark. The engines are of 2000 horse power, vertical beam with cylinder eighty-one inches in diameter, twelve feet stroke, fitted with patent surface-condensers. The vessel will make twelve knots easily, at a consumption of thirty-one tons of coal per diem. The coal bunkers have a capacity of 750 tons, allowing ample margin for all contingencies. The engines were built by John Roach and Son, Etna Works, Ne w York, in 1867. The vessel draws sixteen feet of water, with all her coal, &c, on board. Shelias three decks, including her hurricane deck. The beam on deck takes away from the trim appearance of English steamers, but it is the fashion prevalent in American steamers, and after the novelty has worn off does not really detract from the outward dress of the vessel. The difference between the old system of ocean travelling in tardy cumbrous vessels with bad provisions and worse water, small and ill-ventilated cabins, and the present floating palaces of vast size and elegant appointments, with ice preserved provisions, abundance of pure water, and cabins large and well ventilated, now make travelling a delight. n t i The question of the power of Jarrali, or Western Australian red gum to resist, after.it has been by age, immersion in water, or otherwise divested of ils sap, the attacks of the sea worm appears to be set at rest by the examination of the,false keel of the barque Fairfield, of Port Adelaide. This was put on about five years ago, since which time the vessel has been engaged in the intercolonial trade, and the keel was removed within the last month on the patent slip. The wood, of which a piece has beenVsent, to to have been entirely ricHpqd by the sea worm, which is popularly supposed nob to attack this kind of timber. s.The captain, as we understand, states that' Ihe wood- was sound when first put under the ship, and it is worthy of note that it is not the sap wood, but the heart, which the worms had eaten. r i.liis exactly bears out the opinion of Mr Mais, publicly expressed some time ago, with regard to the capability of Jarrali timber to resist the attacks of marine or other insects.—South Australian Register. The Lincolnshire narrowly escaped being ■wrecked inside Port Phillip Heads in a heavy gale. She parted one of her anchors, and dragged six miles. The ship Jean Sands—an unexpected arrival—put in her appearance at the Heads on Tuesday, the 25th, from Hong Kong, and sailed lip to the discharging anchorage on the flood tide. She brought 316 Chinese passengers for this port only, and a general cargo for Melbourne. She left Hong Kong on the 30th April, came through the Sooloo Sea, Molucca, and Pitt’s passages, with variable winds ; and passed through Ombay passage on the fortieth day out. Had fair trades to 25 S., long. 110 E. Baffling winds followed to the 7th instant, when westerly breezes prevailed ; rounded Cape Leuwin on the 10th, and passed the south end of Tasmania on the morning of the 20th ; sighted the Snares on the evening of the 23rd, and bowled along with a strong sou’-wester until nearing the Heads, when the wind died away, and came in from N.E., enabling her to sail up the harbor. Although bringing so many passengers, the ship looks clean and tidy reflecting credit on her commander und officers. Her master, Lefavour, informed us that the ship Golden Sea was to leave Hong Kong for this port on the 2nd of May, with about 460 Chinese ; the Noord Brabant was to follow, and other vessels were laid on for Otago, in all to take about 1700 Chinese passengers for this port. — ‘‘Otago Times.” Considerable interest has been manifested in the piece of wreck left at the “ Argus ” office by Captain Underwood. Mr Lane, a passenger by the Macduff on her last voyage, has identified it as the headboard from the starboard side of the vessel. He says that both boards were taken off shortly after she left England, and were “knocking about” the deck ; that he helped to paint them, and that he is positive that the board he has now seen belonged to the ship Macduff. In reference to the notices which have already appeared relative to the headboard picked up by Captain Underwood, of the s.s. Alhambra, on the 14th instant, it may be mentioned that a seaman at present on board the ship Mary Shepherd, and who sailed from this port in the Macduff on her last voyage, states that shortly after the Macduff sailed from Port Phillip Heads the headboards were washed away in a heavy sea, and it is just possible that they may have drifted to the position at Cape Bauen Bauen Island, where the portions of the wreck were seen by Captain Underwood. —“ Argus,” Jul? 27. Accounts from Kingston (Jamaica) state that the Q.ueensbury had been struck by a swordfish, which penetrated to a depth of 30 inches, and caused a leak, necessitating the discharge of the cargo. The Dutch steam frigate Curacoa left Hobson’s Bay for Sydney on July 19, prior to making a circuit of the ports and coasts north east, north, and north-west of Australia.

The Curacoa has arrived at Sydney, and exchanged salutes with H.M.S. Clio. The cutter Esther has foundered off Port Sorrell, Tasmania. The crew swam ashore, but a boy was drowned. Some anxiety is felt in Hobart Town respecting overdue shipping. The cook of the ship Moonta, at Sydney, has been arrested for murdering a sailor named Simmonds at Newcastle, and has since been committed for trial. The Maid of Erin entered the Hobart Town channel last week having lost her jibboom in a severe gale on Saturday. She reports heavy squalls outside. Some apprehensions are felt in Sydney for the safety of the troop ship Magaera, now overdue.

The Golden Fleece, from London, has arrived at Sydney with a general cargo valued at £500,300.

Owing to unavoidable circumstances, the trial trip of the Cerberus, monitor, which was to have taken place on Saturday next, will be postponed. It must be understood that the occasion will be by no means a public one, as far as those on board are concerned. The accommodation of the vessel is so small that no superfluous visitors can be taken on board, for the deck is liable to be washed by the sea in every puff of wind, and the space of the flying deck is extremely limited. No day has yet been fixed for the trip.—“ Argus,” 27 th J uly. The schooner Martha Jane, from Adelaide for Melbourne, made a very quick passage, having been only sixty hours on the way between the two ports.

The Detached Squadron, under Rear-Ad-miral Beauchamp Seymour, will arrive at the Cape of Good Hope about the end of October, and await instructions as to its future cruising ground.—“ European Mail.” The Channel Squadron will shortly proceed to sea, and is expected to be absent from England during the whole of the summer. Lisbon is mentioned as the rendezvous.—lbid.

A very sightly and serviceable steam launch, built and engined by Messrs Mort and Co, at the Waterview Bay Works, made her trial trip yesterday. The boat has been built to the order of the French Government, for service at New Caledonia, and will prove as useful to the Government as she is a credit to the contractors. The launch is 42 feet overall, 8 feet beam, and 4 feet deep, and is fitted with a five-horse power engine, which propels her 9| knots per hour, carrying some forty passengers. The boiler has been tested to 100 pounds, and any amount of steam can be obtained. The launch has been named the Buluri. —“S. M. Herald,” July 26.

It will, no doubt, be remarked that the s.s. City of Melbourne was 4 the first of the new line of mail steamers that arrived here, and that her captain (Grainger) was “ huffed” at something when he entered the port, refused to come ashore, would not remain the time allotted to coal, but went away three hours after arrival, leaving an impression of himself anything but favorable. Before he left, however, the gallant captain took it into his head to do our port all the injury he could. We find that there has been published in the Sydney and Melbourne papers a letter from lnm, in which he strongly advises that no more steamers be sent here, but that Kadavu be the future place of call. Whilst we are aware that no representations Capt. Grainger can make would damage Levuka, since the A.S.N. Company are too much alive to their own interests to allow their steamers to remove from the centre of trade and population to an isolated calling place, it is pleasant to know that the captains of the two succeeding steamers—Capt. Stewart, of the Wonga Wonga, and Captain Moore, of the City of Adelaide—are highly pleased with the place, and declare themselves well satisfied with all they have seen and heard. And the childish silliness of Captain Grainger in reporting the approaches to a hai’bour long known —as well as navigation safely undertaken by sailing ships many years, to be dangerous—needs no argument to refute it.—“ Fiji Gazette.” The qualities of vessels of war of the Cerberus stamp have lately been made the subject of a report to the British Parliament, not exactly in respect to the Cerberus, but to ships of war of the Cyclops and Devastation classes, to which, in effect, our main harbour defence belongs. The report in most respects applies to her as well as to other like vessels except in one thing, which the agent-general in London has been careful to point out in a despatch just received by the mail. The report recommends a greater strength of bottom in such vessels, and lest that should influence our opinion of the Cerberus, Mr Verdon has sent to us a few remarks from Colonel Pasley —who is not only a well-known Victorian but also a high Imperial authority—on the subject. The gallant colonel declares that no uneasiness need be felt about the structural strength of the bottom of the Cerberus, for the observations of the Select Committee of the House of Commons which reported on the matter have reference only to the exigencies of English seas, where, owing to the great rise and fall of the tide, coast defence ships may possibly be left high and dry, a contingency which cannot possibly occur in the comparatively tideless waters of Port Phillip. —“ Argus.” The departure from Washington of the steamer Polaris, commanded by Captain C. F. Hall on another Arctic expedition, was lately announced. We learn from the “ Times” that “ the vessel lia3 been provided by the Navy department of the United States Government. Captain Hall, who expects to be absent about two years and a half, has been overwhelmed with applications from enthusiastic young gentlemen of wealth and c Iture, and even ladies of the same social position, desii’ous of accompanying the expedition, and little thinking of the hardships and dangers to be encountered. But he has prepared ft

picked experienced crew. Two Esquimaux, Joe and his ‘coouey,’ or wife, Hannah, who have been with Captain Hall a number of years, and who have become partially civilised and speak the English language intelligibly, go with the expedition, the former as the interpreter, and the latter in the capacity of tailoress. It has been long ago demonstrated that the woollen clothing of the white man is absolutely worthless to protect the Arctic traveller from the cold piercing blasts to which he is exposed, and the costume of the Innuit or Esquimaux, consisting of the deer-skin, kooly-bang, a sack jumper, with fur hood, the sealskin breeches, the deer, seal, and eider duck stockings, one over the other, and covered with stout mocassins of sealskin, with high leggings, has been adopted as the only articles of apparel that are impervious to the inclemencies of the fearful climate. The Esquimaux tailoress is therefore an important and really indispensable personage aboard the Polaris.”

The following particulars of the passage of the Challenge, prize schooner, from Levuka towards Sydney, are from a journal kept by a passenger : —The Challenge, a topsail schooner of 50 tons burden, commanded by Captain Longmuirwas arrested by order of the British Consul, at Levuka, on a charge of slaving; and on the arrival of H.M.S. Blanche was ordered immediately to proceed to Sydney. She left Levuka on June 10th, in charge of Lieutenant Maunsell, R.N., and Navigating Sub-Lieutenant Carcaud ; her crew consisting of six men of the Blanche, and four of her original hands, together with Captain Longmulr and Mr Fred Humphries, l’esident engineer at the Holmhurst plantation, Fiji, making in all fourteen souls. She had light winds tili the 9th day, when she fell in with a strong N.W. breeze and heavy sea. The ship was laid to during the night, and at daybreak on the morning of the 19th, sighted Norfolk Island ; tried very hard to communicate with the shore to obtain a supply of water, but the weather being so thick and threatening, deemed it advisable to proceed. A course was then shaped to the southward of Lord Howe’s Island. After leaving Norfolk Island had nothing but heavy seas and head winds to contend with from the S.W. On the 21sb she was struck by a heavy squall from the S.E., which freshened to a strong breeze, and a heavy sea running; she was compelled to lie to for three days, during which time she behaved admirably. On Monday, 26th, the inner jib split, and the topgallant was blown to ribbons. Encountered on the 28th a strong S.W. gale, with a mountainous sea, accompanied with terrific squalls, which lasted three days, and carried away the forestay and lanyards of the weather fore rigging. At 8.45 p.m., 3rd July, the wind shifted to the southward, which brought up a high confused sea; and at 12.40 p.m. on the 4th July, the ship being then under reefed forestaysail, single-reefed forestaysail, and double-reefed mainsail, both masts went by the board, leaving the ship a complete wreck. The only spar saved was the main boom, which was afterwards rigged as a jury foremast, a mainmast being made out of a small spar on deck. The only sails left in the ship were a squaresail, which was unbent, and the torn jib, which was fortunately saved. A boatsail was made out of the bed covers of the crew in ca3e it was necessary to take to the boat, which, strange to say, was not injured by the fallen masts; the ship, being then jury-rigged, nrede for the coast. At daylight on the Bth we sighted a barque standing to the westward, and made signals of distress, but failed to attract attention ; and soon afterwards a topsail schooner hove in sight. Bhe was clearly made out from the ship’s deck, and, when first observed, was bearing down upon us, but seeing the signals of distress stood off'. There is no doubt she must have seen our distressed position. The ship being only supplied with a month’s provision, which was considered sufficient for an ordinary passage from the Islands, we were reduced to a short allowance. July 10th, we sighted the three-masted schooner Prince of Wales, Captain Weiss, from Fiji, bound to Sydney; launched the ship’s boat to communicate, the weather being calm. He very kindly supplied us with water, and oil for lamps; and took us in tow for Port Shepliens. Lieut. Mansell requested Mr Humphries to go on board, and take the log of the Challenge, and on arrival at Sydney to proceed without delay to the Commodore, and report our position. July 15th, 5 a.m.. wind blowing fresh from N.W., Captain Weiss reduced sail to ease the strain on the hawser, but at 5.20 a.m. it parted close to the chains of the Challenge ; the ship was then running nine knots, and the Challenge was soon out of sight. The barometer fell to 29 4-10ths, and the wind freshened till it blew a perfect hurricane ; it would be impossible for the schooner to show an inch of canvas, as her jury masts were very slight; the foremast haying been carried away in a squall the day after it was rigged ; it was fished and spliced as well as the things at command would allow. Position when hawser parted —32.48 latitude, 152.10 longitude. The Challenge arrived at Newcastle on the 16th.

The Golden Fleece, a fine iron ship of 1300 tons, arrived from London yesterday, after a splendid passage of eighty days from “the Downs and seventy-six from Portland. This vessel is now on her first voyage to the colonies, her two previous ones having been made to Calcutta; but she is evidently a remarkably fast ship, as the weather and wind from England to the Cape of Good Hope were of the most discouraging character, but from the latter point she has made good use of the strong breezes prevailing, and averaged 250 miles for twenty-seven conseentivedays. Onthe 12th June, a seaman named W. Quinn, while furling the fore-royal, fell from the yard on deck, and, although not apparently seriously injured, died the following day,—“ Sydney Morning Herald,” July If